Thread by @petermbenglish

1/ Some comments on the updated "Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread" guidance

gov.uk/guidance/covid…

2/ It still refers to wearing a mask if you "meet people you do not normally meet", which is very silly (unless they mean "household members" - in which case, why not say so?)

It still keeps the long-out-of-date, inadequate list of (only 3) symptoms of Covid-19.

3/ We now know that - since delta variant, and particularly in people who have been vaccinated and in children - a lot more symptoms can suggest Covid-19, and not everybody gets the "classic" three symptoms.

4/ It has also become clear that people with very minor symptoms can be very infectious.

5/ It refers to being "fully vaccinated" - by which it means two doses of vaccine (probably 1 of J&J vaccine); when it is clear, now, that we will all need three doses to count as fully vaccinated.

6/ People under the age of 18 years and 6 months are not required to self-isolate if in the same household as a case. This is completely illogical, but presumably part of the "we WANT everybody under 18 to catch it!" madness afflicting English policy.

7/ It DOES now recommend getting tested in more circumstances than previously, as Edwin @uk_domain_names pointed out

https://twitter.com/uk_domain_names/status/1463170858223128577

. This is very appropriate, and deserves to be more widely known (image).

Overall, it's still pretty inadequate.

8/ We need to adopt more measures - mandatory, rigorously-enforced, proper wearing of FFP2 (or better) masks in shops, public transport, other spaces where people mingle indoors; enforced regulations re air quality (ventilation, filtration…) and continued distancing where…

9/ …possible.

It's a condition of travel that you must wear a mask on Transport for London; but most people don't.

Not wearing a mask should mean an automatic and significant fine; and/or being escorted off the vehicle!

10/ (There are virtually no non-psychiatric conditions that "exempt" you from a mask, and which are compatible with you using public transport.

11/ And most of the psychiatric conditions can be managed - it might have been OK to say that people who get anxious because of previous experiences if they wear a mask should be exempt for the first few weeks -

12/ - although arguably the risk they pose (they might have Covid-19 and infect others means that perhaps they shouldn't be allowed on public transport anyway

13/ but taking time to get used to wearing a mask in a non-threatening environment etc can work with many such individuals.

Clearly, people with severe mental disorders or "learning difficulties" might not be able to wear a mask...)

14/ We should use facial recognition and automatic fines of people caught on camera not wearing a mask, and have more inspectors/security staff.

If somebody won't wear a mask in a shop, rather than confronting them and risking an incident, send them a significant fine.

15/ They'll soon learn...

Sorry, that segued away from the revised guidance a bit!

@threadreaderapp unroll

@threadreaderapp Ps 1/2
Tweet 2 is badly written. Sorry!

The virus doesn't care if you know (or have a convivial relationship) with someone. So wear a mask!

@threadreaderapp Ps 2/3

It's impractical with household contacts. The risk is lower (but not eliminated) if you've both had 2, ideally 3 doses of vaccine; and if you've both just tested negative.

Also if you've both been minimising contact with others.

@threadreaderapp Ps 2/3
It's impractical with household contacts.

The risk is lower (but not eliminated) if you've both had 2, ideally 3 doses of vaccine and if you've both just tested negative.

Also if you've both been minimising contact with others.

3/3
It's no different from other infections and chains of transmission.

Take STIs. Your partner might only have had one previous sexual contact. But how many contacts had your partners previous partner had?

Your Covid contact's housemate might have been in a busy bar…